2017 television investigations

Program or issue	Station / licensee	Description	Outcome	Report published
Sunrise	Seven / Channel Seven Melbourne Pty Ltd	Accuracy and complaint handling – in a report about a proposal to lower the age of shooting licences for minors	Breach of clause 7.3.1 [complaint handling] and no breach of clause 3.3.1 [accuracy] of the Commercial Television Industry Code of Practice 2015 BI-336	19 December 2017
Seven News update	Seven / Channel Seven Sydney Pty Limited	Classification and News and Current Affairs – in a report showing footage of an image of skeletal remains	No breach of clause 2.3.3 [exercise care in selecting material for broadcast] and clause 3.2.1 [material which may cause distress] BI-342	15 December 2017
Today Tonight	Seven/Channel Seven Adelaide	Accuracy – in a report about an online flower delivery business titled ‘Bogus Bouquets’	Breach of clause 3.3.1 [accuracy and fairness] of the Commercial Television Industry Code of Practice 2015 BI-325	16 October 2017
The Bachelor	Ten/Network Ten (Sydney) Pty Ltd	Material not suitable for broadcast – offensive and derogatory comments based on religion	No breach of clause 2.6.2 [intense dislike, serious contempt or severe ridicule on the basis of religion] of the Commercial Television Industry Code of Practice 2015 BI-334	12 October 2017
7.30	ABC	Accuracy, corrections, impartiality, opportunity to respond – in a report about Aerocare Pty Ltd titled ‘Claims that employee fatigue at Aerocare is leading to accidents’	No breach of Standards 2.1 [accuracy], 2.2 [not mislead], 3.1 [corrections and clarifications], 4.1 [due impartiality], 4.5 [unduly favour one perspective], or 5.3 [opportunity to respond] of the ABC Code of Practice 2011 (revised in 2016) BI-330	29 September 2017
7.30	ABC	Accuracy, corrections, opportunity to respond– in a report about Aerocare Pty Ltd titled ‘Airport workers speak out about poor work conditions’	No breach of Standards 2.1 [accuracy], 3.1 [corrections and clarifications], or 5.3 [opportunity to respond] of the ABC Code of Practice 2011 (revised in 2016) BI-329	29 September 2017
ABC News	ABC/Australian Broadcasting Corporation	Accuracy, impartiality, opportunity to respond and attribution of information – in a news report about historical child sexual abuse allegations	Breach of Standard 4.1 [due impartiality] and no breach of Standards 2.1 [accuracy], 5.3 [opportunity to respond] or 5.4 attribution of information] of the ABC Code of Practice 2011 (revised in 2016) BI-305	30 August 2017
7:30	ABC / Australian Broadcasting Corporation	Accuracy, impartiality and opportunity to respond – in a news report about charity fundraisers	No breach of standards 2.1 [accuracy], 4.1 [due impartiality] or 5.3 [opportunity to respond] of the ABC Code of Practice 2011 (revised in 2016) BI-319	1 August 2017
The Morning Shift	Sky News Live / Foxtel Cable Television Pty Limited [Foxtel]	Material likely to cause some distress and warnings – in a report containing footage of the ‘Facebook Live killing’	No breach of clause 2.2(b)(ii) [cause some distress] or 2.2(b)(iv) [warnings for material that may seriously distress or seriously offend] of the Subscription Broadcast Television Codes of Practice 2013 BI-322	14 July 2017
The Mix	ABC / Australian Broadcasting Corporation	Harm and offence – in a program that broadcast depictions of violence	No breach of standards 7.1 [harm and offence] or 7.2 [warnings or advice] of the ABC Code of Practice 2011 (revised in 2016) BI-324	13 July 2017
A Current Affair	Nine / General Television Corporation Proprietary Limited	Accuracy and misrepresentation of viewpoints – in a report about the effects of marine oil extract on hyperactivity and cognition	No breach of clause 3.3.1 [accuracy and misrepresentation of viewpoints] of the Commercial Television Industry Code of Practice 2015 BI-309	31 May 2017
Four Corners	Australian Broadcasting Corporation	Impartiality and secret recordings – in an investigative journalism/current affairs program about Pauline Hanson’s One Nation Party activities and its leadership	No breach of standards 4.1 [impartiality] or 5.8 [secret recordings] of the ABC Code of Practice 2011 (revised in 2016) BI-311	1 June 2017
Australian Open Tennis 2017 (Nick Kyrgios vs. Andreas Seppi)	Channel 7/Channel Seven Melbourne Pty Ltd	Captioning – captions obscuring top-court play during the Australian Open Tennis 2017 match between Nick Kyrgios and Andreas Seppi on 18 January 2017.	• No breach of subsection 130ZR(1) of the Broadcasting Services Act 1992 (the BSA), with regard to the basic rule of the captioning obligations. • No breach of the Broadcasting Services (Television Captioning) Standard 2013 (the Standard). • No breach of subsection 130ZZA(4) of the BSA which requires that a licensee complies with the Standard BI-000307	31 May 2017
Studio 10	Ten / Network TEN (Sydney) Pty Limited	Classification – in a morning panel/talk show that used coarse language that was offensive, sexist and inappropriate for daytime television	No breach of clause 2.1.1 [classification] of the Commercial Television Industry Code of Practice 2015. BI-308	5 May 2017
Nine News	Nine/General Television Corporation Proprietary Limited	Classification and News and Current Affairs - Allegation that footage in a news report of the moment of impact in a car collision was distressing and inappropriate for broadcast	No breach of clause 2.3.3 [exercise care in selecting material for broadcast] or clause 3.2.1 [material which may cause offence] of the Commercial Television Industry Code of Practice 2015 BI-306	27 April 2017
Outlander	SBS / Special Broadcasting Service	Classification and consumer advice – Alleged depiction of sexual violence that was gratuitous and not suitable for broadcast	No breach of code 4.6 [Classification] and no breach of code 4.8 [Consumer advice] of the SBS Codes of Practice 2014 (revised 2016) BI-304	3 April 2017
Advertisement for The Equality Campaign and promotions from the ‘Love is Love’ campaign	Lifestyle channels/ Foxtel Cable Television Pty Limited	Political matter – broadcast the required particulars immediately following the broadcast of political matter	No breach of subclause 4(2) [identification of certain political matter] or paragraph 10(1)(i) [comply with subclause 4(2)] of Schedule 2 to the Broadcasting Services Act 1992 BI-302	30 March 2017
Promotions for The Equality Campaign	Sky News Live/Foxtel Cable Television Pty Limited	Political matter – broadcast the required particulars immediately following the broadcast of political matter	Breach of subclause 4(2) [identification of certain political matter] and paragraph 10(1)(i) [comply with subclause 4(2)] of Schedule 2 to the Broadcasting Services Act 1992 BI-301	23 March 2017
Hannibal	7Flix/Channel Seven Melbourne Pty Ltd	Classification - modification of an R 18+ classified film to make it suitable for broadcast	No breach of paragraph 7(1)(ga) of Schedule 2 to the Broadcasting Services Act 1992 [modify R18+ films]. No breach of clause 2.6.1 of the Commercial Television Industry Code of Practice 2015 [suitability for broadcast]. BI-274	3 March 2017
Ten Eyewitness News	Ten / Network TEN (Sydney) Pty Limited	Accuracy and impartiality – in a promotional segment and a news report about the federal government’s proposal to re-schedule codeine products from over-the-counter to prescription-only medicine	No breach of clause 3.3.1 [accuracy] and no breach of clause 3.4.1 [impartiality] of the Commercial Television Industry Code of Practice 2015 BI-273	24 February 2017
ABC News 7.00pm Victorian Edition	ABC1/Australian Broadcasting Corporation	Captioning – quality of captions in a news and current affairs program broadcast on 4 October 2016	Breach of the Broadcasting Services (Television Captioning) Standard 2013 (the Standard) by 6 distinct segments and as such a breach of subsections 130ZZA(5) [compliance with the Standard] and 130ZR(1) [captioning programs broadcast between 6 am and midnight on national and commercial television primary channels] of the Broadcasting Services Act 1992 BI-268	22 February 2017
ABC News: Early Edition	ABC1/Australian Broadcasting Corporation	Captioning – quality of captions in a news and current affairs program broadcast on 8 September 2016	Breach of the Broadcasting Services (Television Captioning) Standard 2013 (the Standard) by 6 distinct segments and as such a breach of subsections 130ZZA(5) [compliance with the Standard] and 130ZR(1) [captioning programs broadcast between 6 am and midnight on national and commercial television primary channels] of the Broadcasting Services Act 1992 BI-267	22 February 2017
Advertisement for the ‘notbornyet’ campaign by Emily’s Voice	TEN/Network Ten (Perth) Pty Limited	Political matter – broadcast the required particulars immediately following the broadcast of political matter	Breach of subclause 4(2) [identification of certain political matter] and paragraph 7(1)(j) [comply with subclause 4(2)] of Schedule 2 to the Broadcasting Services Act 1992 BI-231	22 February 2017
Nine News Sunday	Nine/TCN Channel Nine Pty Ltd	Accuracy and impartiality – in a news report about Ku-ring-gai Council’s opposition to the NSW government’s council amalgamation plans and Cr Cheryl Szatow’s use of public funds	Breach of clause 3.3.1 [present material facts accurately] of the Commercial Television Industry Code of Practice 2015. Breach of clause 3.4.1 [present news fairly and impartially] of the Commercial Television Industry Code of Practice 2015 BI-227	14 February 2017
The Mix	ABC1/Australian Broadcasting Corporation	Harm and offence – in a program that broadcast a painting of a female nude that was not suitable for viewing by children	No breach of standards 7.1[harm and offence] or 7.2 [warnings or advice] or 7.3 [classification] of the ABC Code of Practice 2011 (revised 2016) BI-272	14 February 2017
ABC News Breakfast	ABC/Australian Broadcasting Corporation	Accuracy and due impartiality – in a segment about a South Australian power blackout	No breach of standards 2.1 [accuracy] or 4.1 [due impartiality] of the ABC Code of Practice 2011 (revised in 2016) BI-270	10 February 2017
The Fall program promotion	FOX SPORTS 2 / Foxtel Cable Television Pty Limited	Particular regard to the need to protect children from unsuitable material – in a program promotion for an MA15+ TV series, broadcast within a live cricket match	No breach of code 2.3 [program promotions and news updates] of the Subscription Broadcast Television Codes of Practice 2013 BI-271	9 February 2017